


Something Old, Something New

by travelinglemon



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bisexual Steve Rogers, Fluff, Genderfluid Bucky, Marriage Proposal, Mild Language, Other, Stucky - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 18:43:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4575573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/travelinglemon/pseuds/travelinglemon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Steve formally offered his hand out to his boyfriend.</i><br/><i>"What do you say, Buck? May I have this dance?"</i><br/><i>"Hell yeah," Bucky replied as he slapped his hand onto Steve's. "Let's go."</i> </p><p>Steve plans to propose to Bucky that night while swing dancing. Clint and Nat take up the job of getting Bucky ready, and there's also a bit of Steve-you-had-one-job-what-do-you-mean-you-lost-the-ring? Basically it's fluff and swing dancing. What could go wrong?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Old, Something New

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Thewhovianat221bwithpie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thewhovianat221bwithpie/gifts).



> This fic was written as a thank you for a Tumblr friend (thewhovianat221bwithpie), who suggested the prompt "marriage proposal AU with a gender fluid Bucky." I had fun with this one, mostly because of the swing dancing. I actually took up swing dancing just because Bucky and Steve grew up in the 1940's. This is my life. Several Saturday night swing dances later, I still regret nothing. I hope you all enjoy!

Bucky narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend suspiciously.

"Why are you glaring at me?" Steve asked.

"I'm not glaring I'm looking at you suspiciously."

"I see...and why are you glaring at me suspiciously?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because you're acting all nervous."

"Why would I be nervous?"

"Yeah Stevie, why would you be nervous?"

Steve sighed and stood up from the café table they had been eating breakfast on, enjoying a sunny day of summer in New York. "No idea. Are we done here? I've got a subway to catch."

"The sandwich or the train?"

"Buck, you've been in this century long enough to know what I mean."

"I'll take a footlong please. The usual."

Steve made a face, then rolled his eyes. Bucky grinned. "Alright Captain, go do your Avengery stuff. I'll see you later."

"Speaking of later..," Steve began, turning back to meet Bucky's eyes. "Swing dancing, you, me, tonight. Are you in?"

Bucky blinked up at him, and hesitantly flexed his metal fingers.

"I haven't swing danced since-"

"Neither have I, we'll just have to step on each others feet and laugh all over again. Just like old times." Steve smiled, softly.

"Except you'll be the one making all the ladies jealous this time, not me." Bucky replied with a dramatic sigh.

Steve leaned down and cupped Bucky's chin delicately beneath his fingers. "Now why would I go and do that when I've got the prettiest lady of them all right here?" With a quick kiss, he was gone.

Bucky's phone buzzed, waking him from his trance. It was from Nat.

_**Nat:** When you're done batting your doe eyes at Cap, get down here we've got work to do. _

Bucky frowned. He wasn't surprised Nat knew what he was doing, that girl knew everything. He was more so confused about the "work" she had mentioned.

_**Bucky:** What work? Do you need backup? _

_**Nat:** The only backup I need is your back up here, now. Get moving. _

There was no point arguing with Nat. A few minutes later he was being shoved through her front door and thrust onto a couch.

"Alright. What are you wearing?" She demanded, arms crossed.

Bucky glanced down at himself. "Jeans and a hoodie...?"

"No, swing dancing. What are you going to wear swing dancing?"

"I don't kn-"

 

****

 

Next thing he knew they were in a mall.

"Trust me, you'll thank me when this is over," Nat was saying as she rustled through some suits, skirts, and dresses (occasionally swearing in Russian if she couldn't find the right size) and piled them into Bucky's arms.

Bucky just sort of looked down at everything uncertainly.

Nat, to his surprise, simply smiled and put her hands on his shoulders. "Stop looking so terrified, Barnes. Go have fun."

Bucky rustled through a nearby rack of summer dresses. "Fine, but you're doing this with me," he said as he handed her a frilly pink one with an evil grin.

"Oh it's on," Nat replied, eyeing the dress like it might vomit a rainbow on her.

Both threw a few more atrocious outfits at each other just for good measure then ran off to find a dressing room.

"This?" Nat twirled around in a long maroon colored dress.

"Nah, too formal," Bucky commented. "This?" He asked as he struck a pose in old fashioned pants and a suit.

"No, you look like the old man you actually are," Nat replied dryly. "What about this one?"

"It doesn't spin very well. What about this one?"

"Barnes, over my dead body will you be wearing a black dress. You wear black practically every day, just give me this one night-"

"Jesus Nat, fine. No black, I get it."

"What about this one?" Clint asked, holding up a blue dress with a lace top made out of fabric that practically danced in the air itself. "It matches Steve's eyes."

"You're late," Nat said simply. "Did you get the bags of stuff?"

"Well if you put it that way it sounds like I just finished up a drug deal," Clint grumbled, "but yeah, I did get the bags of stuff like you asked. Besides, it's not like you'd know which stuff to get, that's why I'm the expert."

Nat turned to Bucky. "You, try the dress Hawkguy found for you, and you," Nat turned to Clint, "go use your magical fashion talent to go find me something acceptable to wear too."

"Yes ma'am," they both replied before they went their separate ways.

 

****

 

Nat ended up with a red dress and a black belt (no karate pun intended) whereas Bucky ended up with the 'Steve dress' as Nat started calling it.

"What is with all the fuss? I've been swing dancing before. Like, back when it was actually a thing. The 1940s. I was there." Bucky asked, sipping on some wine. He and Nat were waiting in the sitting room while Clint set up his "stuff" upstairs.

"We know, old man," Natasha replied. "Just shut up and let us pamper you. You'll thank us later."

"Yes, you said that before. That didn't clarify what the fuck is going on here," Bucky grumbled.

"Language," Steve smiled from where he had suddenly appeared, leaning casually against the wall. He was dressed as if they had never left the 1940s. Bucky smiled back. Steve felt like home.

The moment was interrupted by Natasha screaming, "GET OUT GET OUT STEVE GET OUT HE'S NOT READY YET," as she quickly shooed him out of her sitting room and dragged Bucky up the stairs behind her. He was abruptly shoved through one of the doors on the top landing and into-

A dressing room? Bucky blinked at the mess of shopping bags filled with all sorts of make-up and brushes.

"I've got concealer, foundation, blush, powder, eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, hairspray, and bobby pins all in those various directions," Clint listed, pointing to different shopping bags scattered around the room.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Your face isn't going to paint itself, now is it?" Clint replied simply. "Besides. Nat asked, and basically we all know we're better off just doing what she says."

"No, why are _you_ doing this?"

Clint sighed. "Plus, everyone apparently forgets I'm a make-up artist."

"Wait, so you're good at shooting arrows, naming stray dogs, AND applying make-up?"

"Unfortunately that pretty much sums up my legacy."

"My hero."

"Shut up and sit down, Barnes."

 

****

 

Steve paced around at the base of the stairs nervously. He seriously regretted telling Nat his plan at all. As soon as he did, she squealed and rushed off. That's when he knew he was in trouble. Oh well, she would have found out about it anyway.

"Yo," Bucky called to him, suddenly appearing from the top of the stairs. Steve felt like all the air in the room had left him. Bucky was...well, breathtaking.

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," Nat whispered to Steve, as she stepped up next to him and clung to his arm excitedly.

"Steve is old, and the dress is blue. That's literally all there is to it," Clint corrected and rolled his eyes as Nat glared at him.

The dress swept around Bucky's form as he descended the stairs, the metal arm lightly brushing the railing, the right hand shyly tucking in a few stray hairs that had escaped the bun.

"I still don't understand how anyone can walk in heels," Steve finally managed.

"Practice," Bucky replied with a smirk. "And band-aids."

"You look amazing, Buck."

"You don't look too bad yourself, grandpa."

"Thanks..."

"You're welcome," Bucky replied cheerily.

"If this gets any sappier I think I might stick to the wall," Natasha interrupted. "Are we done here? We have a dance to get to," she asked, looping her arm into Clint's.

Steve formally offered his hand out to his boyfriend. "What do you say, Buck? May I have this dance?"

"Hell yeah," Bucky replied as he slapped his hand onto Steve's. "Let's go."

 

****

 

Iron Man was the DJ.

What could go wrong?

A number of people had attended, most of them friends. It was a small gathering, but that's what made it fun. Friends were tripping over friends, there was laughter all around, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Surprisingly Stark had mostly stuck to the classic swing songs from the 40s (probably too secretly terrified of Natasha to do anything else) with only a few remixes or modern hits thrown in.

With a wink at Steve, Nat disappeared onto the dance floor. Clint trailed around the outside of the crowd and perched on a chair, just contentedly watching everyone. A minute later he was grabbed by Nat and also disappeared into the crowd. Steve grinned. Everyone was powerless when it came to Natasha.

Steve checked his pocket. Yes, the ring was still there. Alright, he could do this. There was no reason to panic.

"Just like old times, hm?" Bucky said softly. His eyes were slightly unfocused as he looked out at the crowd. Steve had a feeling he wasn't really looking out at the 21st century, but rather the 1940s.

"I miss it too. Can't go back home though," Steve replied.

Bucky paused for a moment, thinking over Steve's words. "Stevie, you are home. There's no where else I'd rather be," he said, turning to meet Steve's eyes and wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's neck. "We've been through a lot of shit but look how we ended up - together. That's all that matters."

"I think I'm allergic to your hairspray," Steve whispered.

"Nah, you're just tearing up 'cuz you love me."

Steve smiled, placed his hands underneath Bucky's, and began to move.

_Left, right, back step, left, right, back step, lift right arm up, left, right, lift right arm back down, back step._

Buck's dress fluttered around him as he finished spinning with a backstep. "Still got it," he called out.

"That's the easy stuff, even I could dance to that back then, and that's saying something."

"Yeah you were terrible at swing dancing, weren't you?"

"Luckily I had a great teacher," Steve said, causing Bucky to roll his eyes...and trip.

"Aww fuck," Bucky laughed, sprawled out on the floor with Steve tangled over top of him. "You're a bit heavier now, though."

"I had a big breakfast," Steve replied flatly.

Bucky smirked, then pushed himself up to meet Steve's lips. Some things never change.

"Gross, you guys. Get a room," Stark said, loudly, into the microphone.

"Like father, like son," Steve grumbled as he stood and helped Bucky up. Out of habit he checked his pocket again, just to make sure-

It wasn't. Oh god, where did it go?

"Did you get up too fast? You look all pale," Bucky said, concerned.

"Uh. Er. Yeah. Maybe. Yes. I just have to..," Steve trailed off frantically searching the floor with his eyes.

"You just have to what...?" Bucky prompted.

"Nat. I have to- Nat," Steve rushed off into the crowd without another word.

Clint appeared beside Bucky. "Where's he going?" he gestured to Steve.

"He had to Nat," Bucky replied skeptically.

 

****

 

"Your customs can be very enjoyable," Thor was saying, as he spun Natasha around. "Back home we have a type of dance similar to this, we call it the-"

Nat was suddenly swept off her feet, quite literally, by a panicked super soldier.

"Just act normal," Steve hissed at her as he tried to remember how to work his feet.

"You're one to talk," Nat retorted. "Now what did you screw up this time?"

"The ring. I lost it. Jesus, Natasha, the one thing I needed-"

"Chill. No pun intended, Captain. When did you last have it?"

"Right before we started dancing. We were dancing for a bit, then he tripped, and...it was gone. It must have fallen out when we both fell over, but I couldn't see it anywhere on the floor and there's so many people and I started to freak out and Bucky was all suspicious so I ran to you help me please," Steve finished, out of breath.

"Right. Operation find ring. We both spread out and dance with as many people as possible to cover the most ground in the shortest amount of time. I'll get Clint to help out too. We'll find it," Nat stopped dancing and squeezed Steve's shoulder, comfortingly. "Don't worry."

"Too late for that."

"Don't worry _more_."

"No promises."

Nat rolled her eyes. "I'll go take Bucky first to make sure you didn't miss anything at the scene of the crime. You, start with Pepper or someone from over there."

"Okay," Steve squeaked, before rushing off.

Natasha made her way along the walls until she reached Bucky. "May I have this dance?" She asked, offering her hands up, in a gesture to be the lead.

"I gue-"

With that, they were dancing. Bucky raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you looking for?"

"Clint. He ran off somewhere, not sure where."

"Why are you looking at the floor?"

"His sloppy footwork is very unique."

Nat lifted up Bucky's metal arm so that she could spin. "But why-" Nat's eyes suddenly widened and Bucky stopped talking. "What? Why are you laughing?" he asked, bewildered.

Nat quickly crammed her laughter into a grin and shook her head. "I have to go get Steve for you," she said, before breaking away and running to the opposite side of the dance floor and right into...Clint.

Steve was dancing with Clint.

Natasha would have fallen on the floor from laughing so hard at the awkward tension between the two had she not had a job to do.

"Steve," she choked out. "Steve, I know where the ring is."

Steve broke away from Clint and anxiously rushed up to meet her. "Where?!"

"Well remember how you wanted the ring to be special to Bucky?"

"Yeah."

"...And how Bucky has a metal arm?"

"Yeah."

"Remember how as an inside joke you decided to buy a magnetic ring so it would literally just stick to his ring finger?

"Yeah."

Nat put her face in her hands. He was so clueless. "It's stuck to his arm, Steve. The ring is magnetically stuck to his metal arm."

Steve paused a moment to process this. "Does he-"

"No, he hasn't noticed yet. It's just above his elbow. You better find some way to get it back without him seeing it."

"Oh," Steve whispered. "Um. Okay."

 

****

 

Bucky couldn't exactly feel things with his left arm, but it did register pressure. So when a hand slapped down on his shoulder it did make him jump, a little.

"Heeyyy," Steve said, oddly continuing to slide the hand down his metal arm.

"Hello," Bucky replied.

"So...," Steve was fidgeting with something, Bucky looked down but suddenly Steve had completely thrown himself over the metal arm, blocking his view. "My, what big muscles you have," Steve commented. "So if you work out does the metal get more ripped?"

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing. I'm just a...a guy being casual with his...pal, friend," Bucky heard a faint clicking noise as if a nail or something had just fallen out of his arm.

"What are you doing with my arm?" Steve lurched back upright, and stuffed something in his pocket. "Nothing, nothing, nothing. Just, rubbing some dirt off." Steve rubbed a thumb on Bucky's wrist. "There, good as new, see?"

"...Right." Bucky narrowed his eyes. "And what's really going on?"

Steve suddenly looked at Bucky so intently, Bucky felt his heart skip a beat.

"Stevie...?" Was it just him or was the whole room quieter now? He couldn't really focus on anything but Steve's blue eyes staring into his. They were so full of...memories. From mischief, to hurt, to joy, to love, to fear, and back again, it was all there. Everything since that very first meeting in the playground, when he decided to take the small kid who couldn't breathe right but created beautiful drawings - drawings that seemed to have been taken right out of dreams - under his wing.

"What is this about?" Bucky whispered.

Steve smiled and...

Oh.

He was getting down on one knee.

_Oh._

Everything clicked into place.

"You see," Steve began, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a ring. "I've found the right partner."

Bucky blinked at the ring, then at Steve, then back at the ring. "Fuck you, Rogers," he growled.

Steve's eyes flashed with confusion. "What?"

Bucky took a shaky breath, then smiled like Steve had never seen before. "I was 'sposed to do that, punk."

"So is that a yes?"

"You never asked me a damn question."

"Right. Bucky Barnes, will you marry me?"

"I suppose, what's in it for me?" Bucky bit his lip to keep from smiling, silently thanking Clint for the waterproof mascara.

Steve's eyes immediately lit up. "A magnetic ring!" he declared proudly as he clicked it into place on Bucky's left ring finger.

"Rogers, what the hell-" Bucky began, but couldn't finish because he was laughing too hard, and Steve was kissing him.

 

(sketch done by travelinglemon for visual reference purposes)


End file.
